Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2011; 59(4): 252-254
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1250670
Case Reports/Cardiac

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Life-Threatening Hemothorax Resulting from Lung Hernia after Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery

T. Schroeter1 , H. Bittner1 , S. Subramanian1 , M. Hänsig1 , F. Mohr1 , M. Borger1
  • 1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

received August 12, 2010

Publikationsdatum:
21. März 2011 (online)

Abstract

Lung hernia following minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is an uncommen entity. We report the case of a male patient who developed a lung hernia as a sequela to limited access mitral valve surgery. Two months after discharge, the patient presented with a bulge in the region of the lateral thoracotomy related to respiration which could be provoked by a Valsalva maneuver. In the night following admission the patient had acute cardiovascular decompensation with worsening dyspnea, pallor and hypotension. The patient was quickly transferred to the ICU, where a chest X‐ray revealed the presence of a large hemothorax with compression of the entire right lung. We transferred the patient to the operation room, evacuated the hemothorax and reconstructed the 15-cm long and 3-cm wide dehiscence using a GoreTex patch adapted in a special technique.

References

  • 1 van den Brink W A, Meek J C, Boelhouwer R U. Herniation of the lung following video-assisted minithoracotomy.  Surg Endosc. 1995;  9 (6) 706-708
  • 2 Weissberg D, Refaely Y. Hernia of the lung.  Ann Thorac Surg. 2002;  74 1963-1966
  • 3 Smith A T, Jamplis R W. Lung hernia: a technique for repair.  Ann Surg. 1972;  176 (6) 711-712
  • 4 McCormack P M. Use of prosthetic materials in chest wall reconstruction: assets and liabilities.  Surg Clin N Am. 1989;  69 965-976
  • 5 Graham J, Usher F C, Perry J L et al. Marlex mesh as a prosthesis in the repair of thoracic wall defects.  Ann Surg. 1960;  151 469

Thomas Schroeter, MD

Department of Cardiac Surgery
Heart Center Leipzig

Struempellstr. 38

04155 Leipzig

Germany

Telefon: +49 3 41 86 50

Fax: +49 34 18 65 22 88

eMail: thomas-schroeter@gmx.de

    >